


Break Away

by BrightEyesIllusionist



Series: 100 Themes Challenge [6]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 100 Themes Challenge, Gen, Mideval AU, Prince Loki (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 05:37:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15381846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightEyesIllusionist/pseuds/BrightEyesIllusionist
Summary: Loki finds something interesting while walking around the market.





	Break Away

Loki stepped lightly through the market, moving gracefully to avoid the others in the area. He enjoyed walking through areas like this without worrying about his brother. It was much easier to get a feel for the area and for the people without Thor's tendency to loudly announce his presence.

The market was noisy and chaotic, people buying and selling their wares or greeting those that they knew. Loki breathed deeply, he thoroughly enjoyed the anonymity the crowd gave him.

As the air passed through his nostrils, he noticed a slight scent that seemed out of place. The smell of cool, clear water from a mountain stream, bubbling over smooth stones. He frowned, that was not a scent that he would have expected to find here.

Loki shrugged, and continued his way through the market. There were few wares that really caught his attention, he could find better quality from the royal craftsmen up at the palace, but at one stall, he found something that glinted just so and caught his eye. Curious, he walked over. 

The dagger was simple in design, elegant and balanced in shape. Loki picked it up. The blade shimmered slightly in the light, it had a subtle wavelike pattern and as it caught the light the metal almost looked liquid. As he brought it nearer to his face, he caught the same whiff of mountain stream that had crossed his path earlier.

Loki talked with the stall owner for a moment, bartering over the price of the blade. Finally, Loki allowed the man to sell it to him for a little more than perhaps necessary, but he also got the name and location of the smith who had crafted it. Loki smiled as he walked away, putting away his purchase carefully.

It seemed he had a smith to visit.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The smithy was small, but well kept. Loki could see smoke pouring from the chimney, and the sounds of clanging metal came from inside. He walked forward and the smell of hot metal and mountain stream mingled together pleasantly.

It was definitely the right place.

Loki stepped up to the open doorway and looked inside.

The building was surprisingly well lit, with large windows in the walls and in the ceiling to let in the sun. The man that stood in front of the forge had a slight build, curly brown hair and a short, well trimmed, beard. In the red glow of the fire, his skin was tinted slightly purple.

Well, that explained the scent at any rate.

The man was a mountain naiad.

Loki coughed into his hand and the man froze mid-swing and swung around to look at him. He looked Loki over briefly then turned back to his work and continued pounding the metal.

“Business hours are between ten and two on alternating Tuesdays and Thursdays to discuss new commissions.”

Loki grinned. “Then it is fortunate that I'm not here to discuss a commission.” 

The man sighed and bought the blade up to inspect. He looked it over, nodded, and plunged it into an trough to quench it before bringing it back up to rest on the table.

“Look your highness, I don't take a lot of crap. If you want me out of the city or out of the country, fine. Just tell me and I'll go elsewhere.” He stood with his feet spread, balanced and on guard as if he were expecting an attack. 

Loki's grin faltered. “I have not come here to ask you to leave.”

“Well that's a first then.” The man shook his head, then muttered to himself, “Right. Might as well see how this plays out then.” He held out a hand. “Name's Tony, what can I do for you?”

Loki tilted his head to the side, “Why would you think I am here to drive you away?”

Tony grimaced and pulled his hand back. “Right. Well, people don't usually want a guy like me around, you know? I'm, uh, different.”

“I did not think that naiads were of a race people held such prejudice towards.” 

“Well, most of us aren't,” Tony started. “But, well, most of us don't work with hot metal and fire either. They don't get my passion for it, I guess.”

Loki nodded, “So it is your preferences that encourage their animosity then?”

“You could say that. They also don't think that any metalwork crafted by a naiad would be worth purchasing.” Tony rubbed the back of his head. “Makes it difficult to sell anything for sure.”

Loki pulled out the dagger he had procured earlier and held it out to Tony. “Is this one of your works?”

Tony glanced down at it and frowned slightly. “Yeah, that's one of mine. Not my best, but, eh, not my worst either.” He shrugged. “If you want a refund, take it up with the guy that sold it to you.”

Loki shook his head. “I do not wish to return it. I am curious about how you made it. It has quite a unique appearance.”

Finally, Tony grinned. “It more than just appears unique, there's no one else around here or anywhere that can make a blade quite like I can.”

“Is that so?”

“Yep!” Tony said confidently. “Some of the techniques I use can't be mimicked either, sorry.”

Loki grinned in response. “Do you just make daggers and swords?” He nodded towards the long blade still warm on the table, “Or do you craft other weapons as well?”

“I can make anything you want, highness.”

His grin widened as he put the dagger away again. “In that case, I would like to employ your services as my personal weapons smith.”

“Wait,” Tony froze, blinking. “What?”

“I find your work to be much more satisfactory than the smiths my family has on retainer. The particular peculiarities of the metal suits me well, I believe.” He pulled a small leather bag out of his satchel and hefted it in his palm. “I believe this should cover the customary fees to begin with?” He held it out to Tony who took the bag without thinking. Wide-eyed he looked inside and gaped.

“But, this is.. this is...” His mouth gaped opened and closed and Loki was reminded briefly of a fish. 

“Yes, yes.” Loki said hastily. “I shall return tomorrow and we may begin discussing the particularities of my first commission, if that is acceptable. I would also be interested in any unique projects you may come up with.”

Tony looked up, his face split in a beaming grin and his eyes alight. “Yes! I will begin work at once, I had a few ideas but I've never had funds nor time to work on them! You won't be disappointed!”

Loki returned his enthusiasm with a soft smile. “I'm sure I won't. Until tomorrow, then?”

“Yes, yes.” Tony had already turned back to the forge, muttering to himself distractedly. “Tomorrow.”

Loki nodded and left, making his way slowly back to the palace. That certainly had not been what he had intended on doing when he left for the market that day. He had a good feeling about it, however, and he couldn't wait to see the naiad again tomorrow.


End file.
